Kalikow Steps Down from MTA
New York, NY —
MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow has resigned, after 7 years in charge of the nation's largest mass transit system.
REPORTER: Kalikow's responsibilities were reduced after Governor Spitzer appointed a new executive director for the MTA. The outgoing chairman says he's leaving the agency in good hands, but he gave a few parting words of advice.
KALIKOW: Raise fares only as a last resort. But do not keep the fares artificially low which will cause dis-investment in our system.
REPORTER: Kalikow is credited with introducing the Metro Card and launching major expansion projects like the 2nd Avenue Subway. But, he was criticized for not being straightforward about the MTA's budget before the 2003 fare hike, and he presided over a period of tense relations with the transit union, that culminated in the 2005 strike. He will officially step down once Governor Spitzer selects a new chair.
